Brazilian’s, as we are oft reminded every four years, cannot defend. Referee’s, Tottenham Hotspur fans will retort, are none better at their job and it was a through bizarre cocktail of both perceptions that Manchester United gained three points after a controversial goal.
United were already 1-0 up when the second goal, coming in the 84th minute , all but diminished any hope that Harry Redknapp had of rescuing a point. The goal came when Wes Brown neatly flicked the ball over Younes Kaboul for Nani to run onto towards goal. The Portuguese winger went down in the area under a tug with the type of force a man of Kaboul’s frame musters in his sleep.
Nani, theatrically expressing his disappointed with referee Mark Clattenburg’s decision, then clearly, although perhaps not to Clattenburg, grasped the ball within his vicinity in what can only be described as a sign of impudence.
As Nani left the ball in its position, unawares that Clattenburg had not blown his whistle, Heurelho Gomes strode forward and rolled the ball into his path.
The Brazilian keeper, known as ‘the octopus’, will wish that he the same foresight as fellow cephalopod, and recently deceased, Paul for he failed to envisage that Nani would take advantage of what was technically still an live situation and slide the ball into the empty net.
Spurs, lead by Luka Modric and Gareth Bale, were inevitably furious and were further miffed when the linesman held his flag to indicate an offence inside the box. Clattenburg, the only man in Old Trafford not to have seen Pedro Mendes’ 40-yard ‘goal’ in January 2005, ushered the barrage of Spurs players away to confer with his assistant only to conclude the goal was legal. That Rio Ferdinand was allowed to voice his two-pennies worth during the collusion further plunged Clattenburg’s reputation, especially at Old Trafford, into contention.
“A real cock-up” was how Redknapp described the incident, the Spurs manager saying the decision was “scandalous”. That United were 1-0 up with six minutes remaining may render the decision obsolete in terms of the outcome of the match but what must be of concern to Spurs fans is that the result further cements their teams dismal record away to the ‘Big Four’ in the Premier League: zero wins from sixty eight attempts.
It could have been different for Spurs when they made lively start after Park Ji Sung struck the outside of Gomes’ post early on. That outcome was reciprocated by Rafael van der Vaart who shuddered United’s post before Nemanja Vidic headed home a Nani freekick on the half hour mark. That the United captain was free to header echoes the stature and importance of Ledley King and Michael Dawson to the Spurs back four.
Luka Modric tested Edwin van der Sar with a clean strike but, despite a malfunctioning midfield combination of Park, Michael Carrick and Darren Fletcher, Sir Alex Ferguson’s side were able to stymie the attacking quartet of Bale, van der Vaart, Modric and Peter Crouch.
The match will undoubtedly be remembered for ‘Clattenburg 2’ but it is Spurs’ away from that should trouble Redknapp in his pursuit for fourth spot and beyond. United meanwhile are now 4 wins in as many matches, with or without the referee’s assistance.
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